The holidays are a time to celebrate with friends and family, and a time to show someone else just how much they mean to you even if you live a long distance apart. This holiday season, take the time to address the care needs of an elderly loved one by using this checklist to ensure that their independent living is still working for them to the best advantage of their health and happiness.

• There are no spoiled foods in the fridge, and it, along with cupboards are well stocked with nutritious meal and snack items

• Their home appears in the same state as it always has, with no dirt and dust appearing in locations that are harder to reach

• Bills are not piling up at home or in the mailbox, indicating that they’re probably being paid

• Dates and dosages on medications match up with what’s on the prescription bottles and it appears as though he/she is managing her medications effectively and taking them according to schedule

• His/her appearance is neat and tidy and to the same standard as normal

• Neighbors and friends close to him/her seem to have no concerns about the health, safety or happiness of the senior

Via: Home Instead Senior Care

Home Care Bakersfield provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Bakersfield, Delano, Wasco, Lamont, Tehachapi, Lake Isabella, Ridgecrest, Taft, Shafter, Bodfish, Wofford Heights, Rosedale, Oildale, Kernville area. Call us today at 661-321-3235.

Accepting help is not easy for anyone – we all have our pride, our independence, and an unwillingness to admit defeat. This is especially true of Bakersfield older adults who feel their lives as they know it slipping away as a result of age. Whether you’re suggesting that you provide them help so that they can remain safe in their day-to-day lives, or that a home care provider enter the home to provide assistance, accepting help isn’t always easy for seniors. If they refuse help, here are a few ways that you can help to ease the transition from resistance to acceptance.

1. Remember change is difficult for everyone – their resistance might be frustrating, but think about how you would feel in the same situation
2. Give him/her time to come around – introduce changes slowly, but don’t force them. Eventually, the changes if for your senior’s benefit will be more accepted, once they get past denying they need help
3. Keep on trying – if you try to introduce a change and it’s not accepted, wait and try again. Sometimes even 15 minutes can make a world of difference
4. Keep them involved in decisions – let your senior know he/she does have a say in making decisions about care. However, do try and be persuasive about introducing care options
5. Offer a trial period – if they are resistant, persuade your senior to give your suggestion a try. A trial period with a home caregiver or with you helping around the house may help them to realize how much it can ease their burden
6. Present it as help for them – when suggesting you help them out or hire a caregiver, don’t present it as a result of their limitations, tell them it’s to have someone available to clean up around the house so they don’t feel obligated, or to help with moving of heavy objects
7. Know when to stop pushing – remember, that despite your concerns, your senior is still someone who is capable and allowed to make their own decisions. If you have tried the above to no avail, no when to stop pushing otherwise you might risk your relationship

Via: National Caregiver’s Library

image: jupiterimages.com

Home Care Bakersfield provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Bakersfield, Delano, Wasco, Lamont, Tehachapi, Lake Isabella, Ridgecrest, Taft, Shafter, Bodfish, Wofford Heights, Rosedale, Oildale, Kernville area. Call us today at 661-321-3235.

With many home care agencies, you never know who’s going to turn up on a Bakersfield senior’s doorstep each day of their scheduled care. But what this means is that seniors never have the opportunity to trust, bond and form a friendship with their senior caregivers. At Home Instead Senior Care, we know that the right caregiver is one that a senior can get to know, begin to trust with their home and their care, and someone who will become an important companion. Every day a senior has home care scheduled, we send the same caregiver to provide consistency and because through our process we ensure that the caregiver sent is one that meshes with the senior’s personal needs and personality.

When we send a new caregiver to a senior’s home for the first time, we complete an in-depth assessment to evaluate the needs of the senior and the type of caregiver who would be best suited for the role. However, just because a senior has been sent a caregiver, doesn’t mean that they’re stuck with them forever. If a senior or their family is not satisfied with the caregiver, we will be happy to send a replacement that better meets the request.

Once the right caregiver has been matched with a senior, you’ll never be able to separate them!

Home Care Bakersfield provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Bakersfield, Delano, Wasco, Lamont, Tehachapi, Lake Isabella, Ridgecrest, Taft, Shafter, Bodfish, Wofford Heights, Rosedale, Oildale, Kernville area. Call us today at 661-321-3235.

Image Source: portlandinhomecare.com

When hiring a new caregiver for an elderly loved one through a senior care agency ensure there is a trial period that allows the caregiver and senior to get to know each other without a firm commitment. Many Bakersfield senior care agencies will replace the caregiver at any time if he or she doesn’t meet expectations or mesh personality wise with the senior; however, since not all do, you want to ensure you can change your caregiver at no fault if the arrangement doesn’t work out.

When introducing a new caregiver to a senior and their home, ensure that guidelines of responsibilities are set based on the senior’s needs at the time; but be flexible and listen to suggestions from the caregiver for the highest quality care. Also request that the agency complete an assessment; as elder care professionals they may see additional areas of daily life that a senior needs help with and be open minded to their feedback.

Sometimes a senior can be invaded by a new presence in their home, whether it’s a family member or a professional caregiver, since it could be their first real loss of independence. Allow the relationship to grow by having the caregiver spend shorter periods of time with the senior at first and acting as a companion. As the senior becomes more comfortable, the caregiver can then take greater control over the household as appropriate.

Sources:
1.    Senior Care
2.    Ottawa.ca – Common Caregiver Questions

Home Care Bakersfield provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Bakersfield, Delano, Wasco, Lamont, Tehachapi, Lake Isabella, Ridgecrest, Taft, Shafter, Bodfish, Wofford Heights, Rosedale, Oildale, Kernville area. Call us today at 661-321-3235.

According to a report by US News and World Report, many common ailments and changes that we naturally affiliate with the aging process, are not in fact normal for everyone and many common aging myths don’t hold as much truth as we like to assume.

1.    Extra weight cuts your life short – studies show that carrying a few extra pounds (up to 30lbs) in you senior years may not result in a shortened lifespan after all, provided you are not obese with a BMI over 30. At age 75 an extra 30 lbs can actually be protective of the immune system, staving off other illnesses; proving that carrying a little extra weight isn’t always bad, as we’ve been taught to think.

2.    Everyone must prepare for senility – we’ve all heard the expression “old and senile” when discussing older adulthood, but senility doesn’t happen to everyone contrary to the stereotype. Some cognitive decline may occur, but it typically doesn’t compromise a senior’s ability to live independently.

3.    {city} Seniors Shouldn’t Exercise – the belief is that seniors won’t have the energy to exercise, or that it can be harmful. However, seniors who exercise have a lower occurrence of heart problems, and less fatigue.

4.    All hearing loss requires a hearing aid – only 35% of seniors require hearing aids; although many seniors do experience some form of hearing loss, many maintain perfect hearing into their later years.

5.    Seniors are cranky – while some seniors may experience personality changes due to Alzheimer’s or dementia, or may experience bouts of depression due to their declining health, research proves that our personalities don’t change after age 30. The cranky {city} seniors you know have probably always been that way.

Sources:
1    US News & World Report

Home Care Bakersfield provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Bakersfield, Delano, Wasco, Lamont, Tehachapi, Lake Isabella, Ridgecrest, Taft, Shafter, Bodfish, Wofford Heights, Rosedale, Oildale, Kernville area. Call us today at 661-321-3235.

When you don’t like your doctor as a senior retrieving treatment or the family caregiver for an elderly relative, you need to try and do your part to strengthen the relationship between doctor and patient and then assess if your personal grievances are affecting the level of medical care you’re receiving.

If you feel your doctor isn’t listening to your desires regarding your healthcare; speak up and get directly to the point. If you don’t like the side effects of a medication you’re taking, tell them. If they don’t get the hint that you’d like to take a different medication, ask them exactly what other medications are available that would offer similar treatment. It’s also important to establish yourself as an equal, who plays a role in his or her own health; look your doctor straight in the eye, ask questions, and don’t be afraid to share your knowledge or concerns. If you find that your doctor still doesn’t listen to you or treat you with respect on a regular basis, it might be time to find a new doctor to take charge of your senior health issues.

It might be the right time to find a new doctor when:

1)    Your doctor doesn’t like it when you ask questions – a doctor should respect your knowledge and answer any questions you have.
2)    Your doctor doesn’t listen to you – a doctor should make time to address the concerns of every patient directly
3)    A doctor doesn’t speak your language – a doctor should explain your senior health issues using terms you understand
4)    Going to the doctor makes you feel down, even after you’ve left the office
5)    There’s a personal grievance – not everyone’s personalities click; if your doctor just doesn’t seem to like you, or you don’t like them; get a new one.

Sources:
1.    Carol O’Dell Caregiver Blog
2.    CNNHealth.com  Elizabeth Cohen

Home Care Bakersfield provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Bakersfield, Delano, Wasco, Lamont, Tehachapi, Lake Isabella, Ridgecrest, Taft, Shafter, Bodfish, Wofford Heights, Rosedale, Oildale, Kernville area. Call us today at 661-321-3235.

According to a report published by the AARP, in 2007 the economic value of family caregivers would have been $375 billion if they had been paid for their home care assistance. However, it is the value of family caregivers that cannot be measured monetarily that makes a far more substantial impact on the lives of seniors they provide home care for.

Family caregivers sacrifice greatly to provide help to their senior relatives in need. A great majority of family caregivers are men and women with full or part-time careers, which they balance along with their in-home senior care responsibilities and providing care for their immediate family and often, young children. Family caregivers sacrifice in order to better the lives of their senior relatives or parents, by identifying the aspects of home life that seniors are struggling with and providing their assistance; allowing seniors to remain at home with some resemblance of an independent lifestyle that doesn’t require them to live in a community living facility for the elderly.

Sometimes seniors become resentful of their caregivers, and forget to place value upon what they’re sacrificing to improve the senior’s lifestyle, because they are resentful of the loss of independence that has occurred due to the aging process. So seniors asking for help from their families or hiring a caregiver need to remember just how valuable a contribution a caregiver can make to the life of a senior.

Sources:
1. AARP
2. National Family Caregiver’s Association

Image: Texas Tech – Garrison Institute of Aging

Home Care Bakersfield provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Bakersfield, Delano, Wasco, Lamont, Tehachapi, Lake Isabella, Ridgecrest, Taft, Shafter, Bodfish, Wofford Heights, Rosedale, Oildale, Kernville area. Call us today at 661-321-3235.

Thank you, Denise, from Caregiving.com – an amazing help for family caregivers online. Carebuzz appreciates the time you gave us during the following interview -

*Visit Caregiving.com for Insights, Information and Inspirations
*Listen to Your Caregiving Journey talk show: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/caregiving
*Schedule Denise for a Lively, Fun and Inspiring Seminar Today!
*Ask Denise How Coaching Can Transform Your Caregiving Experience
*Get a Game Break: http://www.caregiving.com/index.php?page=game_break

As a family caregiver for mom and dad, I found it difficult to find support via the net until I found your group. When I was in the throes of caregiving, I confided with colleagues at work. And it amazed me how our employer did not support us.. i.e. we wanted to meet in our cafeteria at noon once a month to share knowledge and resources… the HR dept. vetoed that idea.

I’m curious if you are hearing “out in the employer/business community” if the attitude of elder care is moving up in ranks? If so, what sort of support programs are employers offering the working family caregiver?

That’s an unfortunate, but not uncommon, situation that you encountered at work. I do believe though, that more employers are taking notice of issues facing working family caregivers. And, really, employers have to: The U.S. Census Bureau reports that approximately one of every eight Americans between the ages of 40 and 60 can be considered a part of the sandwich generation, and experts expect those figures to grow. National studies say companies without elder-care benefits stand to lose $2,500 a year per caregiving employee and that every $1 spent on elder-care benefits gets a return of $1.50 in productivity, retention, and reduced absenteeism.

Many companies contract with providers, such as LifeCare, Inc., for work/life benefits which include information and referral services to help family caregivers. For instance, employees can contact their work/life provider for help in finding care, managing stress and making a difficult decision. A work/life benefit is great for any family caregiver, but can be particular useful for a long-distance caregiver. The provider will research care options in a care recipient’s community, which can be a huge time-saver for a family caregiver living in a different city. Through a work/life benefit, employees also may have access to a geriatric care manager for a discounted cost.

Many employers also offer an Employee Assistance Program, offered through companies such as Ceridien, which provide counseling services to help employees during difficult times. An EAP can be a great resource for a family caregiver overwhelmed by the emotions of the caregiving experience.

In addition to work/life benefits, some employer assist with back-up care during emergency situations.  Companies such as Work Options Group help employees find last-minute care in the event of an illness or travel.  For instance, an employee with this benefit can use the service to find a last-minute home health aide in case the regularly-scheduled aide becomes ill. The purpose of a back-up care benefit is to solve dependent care problems so an employee can get to work.

Finally, Lunch and Learns about elder care situations are a great and inexpensive way for employers to support family caregivers.

I encourage working family caregivers to contact their Human Resources department to learn about any programs available to help them.

I do worry, though, that our challenging economy will cause employers to consider putting these benefits on the chopping block in order to control expenses. We’ve made such huge inroads to help working family caregivers; it would be awful to take a turn back.

Home Care Bakersfield provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Bakersfield, Delano, Wasco, Lamont, Tehachapi, Lake Isabella, Ridgecrest, Taft, Shafter, Bodfish, Wofford Heights, Rosedale, Oildale, Kernville area. Call us today at 661-321-3235.

Caregiving for Elders at Home

When grandma called me a work one day crying, saying she forgot where she put her keys… I knew instantly, she needed home care help. I could not be there personally because my job was very demanding and had 2 small children to care for.  So, I began the search for home care help for grandma.

I drove over to grandma’s that afternoon, and together we came to the decision that I would help her hire a caregiver. Together we decided to hire someone part-time from Home Instead Senior Care, and left it open to adding more hours as grandma needed more help. we talked about what she needed like help in the kitchen, grocery shopping, running errands and someone to take her to her weekly doctor’s appointment.

What is so wonderful is that I never hear fear in grandma’s voice. She has come alive because she knows someone is looking out for her.  Grandma’s lovely caregiver has been coming into her home and is doing a great job. This makes me have more peace of mind at work and I know that grandma is in  good hands.

Home Care Bakersfield provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Bakersfield, Delano, Wasco, Lamont, Tehachapi, Lake Isabella, Ridgecrest, Taft, Shafter, Bodfish, Wofford Heights, Rosedale, Oildale, Kernville area. Call us today at 661-321-3235.

Family Matters-Legal decisions

If your loved one is approaching a point where you and your family members decide that they are not able to function independently anymore, you will have many legal issues to discuss. These are a few important points that need to be discussed:

* Who will be in charge of managing your senior’s personal affairs while they are still alive

* Who will manage their personal care, such as In Home Health care, and make medical decisions

*  Arranging for payment of long-term health care

* Protecting the family assets: making sure that the patient’s spouse are adequately protected

* The distribution of the person’s assets on his or her death.

Get an Attorney immediately. The maximum number of planning options will be available while the patient still has the legal capacity to make his or her own decisions. The question of their capacity can be a gray area, and needs to be determined on a case-by-case basis.

If you sit down and discuss these steps with your family before the actual meeting when these issues are discussed, it may alleviate some of the stress involved with discussing these sensitive topics. Being united is always the best way to help your parent, and to keep the peace while going through this difficult time.